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Refurbishing A Slightly Battered Box


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OP edited to include better pictures!

 

I've included two pictures of the box which came with a rather nice Jones

20-button C/G I acquired recently.

 

I'd be grateful for some suggestions relating to the best way to re-furbish

this box.

 

It's painted black, but the paint is cracking and worn. Do I: 1) Sand it back

to the bare wood; 2) Use paint stripper to ditto; 3) Use a scraper to ditto?

 

How do I treat the cleaned case: 1) Paint; 2) Varnish; 3) Paper?

 

The inside is papered, but the paper is torn and stripped off in places. Do I

1) Re-paper; 2) Re-line with fabric (like on some of my other cases). What

adhesive do I use?

 

The lid has (presumably) had an insert to hide the strap. Do I replace with

1) A card insert; 2) A wood insert; 3) Not bother and just paint/varnish/paper

the wood?

 

post-11382-0-68410100-1514273869_thumb.jpgpost-11382-0-29265300-1514273895_thumb.jpg

 

Roger

Edited by lachenal74693
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Hi from Australia,

 

That's a nice instrument.

 

To answer your question I offer the following comments.

 

1. I certainly would NOT use a paint stripper. No matter how carefully you remove the paint with the stripper, there will always be some stripper residue left, often it soaks into the more porrous old woods, and after time could/would lift or blemish your chosen finish. Yes hand sanding can be quite time consuming and the dust can be a nuisance, but if you want it to look great the take the time. For a small box like it, I probably would not opt for using a powered sander except for the initial light strip.

 

2. Remember that what ever you do to the inside of the box, your instrument is going to spend a reasonable amount of its remaining life sealed inside it. So you need to choose very carefully any material or finish that wish be around it, as various finishes may give off chemical vapours that could corrode or damage the instrument.

 

Even the glue you would choose to attach any paper needs some thought,

 

 

I probably hunt for a fabric that is no abrasive.

 

One suggestion I would make is to talk to the British Library Conservation team. or Google "Conservation Suppliers",

 

One link that worth a look is http://www.slq.qld.gov.au/resources/preserving-collections/preservation_guides/suppliers-of-preservation-material.

 

Certain you will find others.

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That's a nice instrument.

 

To answer your question I offer the following comments.

 

1. I certainly would NOT use a paint stripper.etc...

 

Thank you.

 

It is a nice instrument, it certainly plays very nicely.

 

As far as paint stripper is concerned, you have put your finger on just those points which have been bothering me.

Your other comments are very helpful.

 

Now I think about it, I know a man who is a big cheese in the field of museum conservation - I will ask him.

 

Thanks.

 

Roger

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  • 4 weeks later...

As the person who sold the box to Roger I think I should put in my point of view.

 

This is probably the original case for the concertina, though it’s impossible to be certain. I really really like the box exactly as it is. It has character and it wears its scars well. You can tell at a glance that it has been around for a long while just quietly getting in with its job of protecting the concertina. If it were mine I would keep it as it is. If you refinish it it will just look nice and shiny and all the character will have gone for ever.

 

On the other hand if you want a case that gives the concertina better protection if it is being caried around outside the home then there is no doubt that a good new hard case would be much more secure.

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As the person who sold the box to Roger I think I should put in my point of view.

 

This is probably the original case for the concertina, though it’s impossible to be certain. I really really like the box exactly as it is. It has character and it wears its scars well. You can tell at a glance that it has been around for a long while just quietly getting in with its job of protecting the concertina. If it were mine I would keep it as it is. If you refinish it it will just look nice and shiny and all the character will have gone for ever.

 

I'm just speculating here, but I think that a worn, slightly scruffy-looking case would be less likely to attract the attention of opportunistic would-be thieves. You know, the kind who would say to themselves, "A box that fancy must contain something valuable, even if I have no idea what it is." I know of more than one "camera" bag that was stolen with a concertina inside, and no photographic equipment. (And I worry that the instruments themselves may have wound up in trash cans/dustbins.)

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